Recipe of the month: Badanekayi Ennegayi

I'm back with another regional speciality from my home state Karnataka 😁

Badanekayi ennegayi is a dish of stuffed eggplants (aka brinjal or aubergine) that has its origins in North Karnataka i.e. the districts of Bijapur, Dharwad, Gadag, Bellary among others. The base of this naturally vegan badanekayi ennegayi is a delectable blend of roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, onions, garlic, ginger, and dry red chilies. The eggplants are generously stuffed with this mixture and slow-cooked in a generous amount of oil until fork-tender. The eggplants absorb the myriad of flavors, resulting in a lip-smackingly delicious outcome. This dish can also be made using the local variety of green capsicum and it tastes fantastic too. 

There are other variations of similar stuffed eggplant dishes that can be attributed to other states within India. In Maharashtra this eggplant dish variant is called bharli vangi and in Andhra Pradesh this variant is known as gutti vankaya kura.

I tried badanekayi ennegayi for the first time during my childhood in Hubli when I had gone to visit my aunt. I had it with jolada rotti (jowar or sorghum bhakri) and I can still recall how much I loved it. I was bowled over by the depth of flavour and great texture which complimented the rottis perfectly. 

Having always had a fondness for eggplants, I appreciate any dish featuring this versatile vegetable. I love traditional dishes like badanekayi palya, badanekayi huli, an Udupi-speciality called mattu gulla bajji (gojju) and gulla dosa. I occasionally make baingan bhartha paired with rotis for quick weekday dinners. Mutabal or baba ganoush is an absolute must when we rustle up mezze platters at home. Roasted eggplant tastes amazing in sandwiches and salads too so I incorporate this vegetable whenever I get a chance. 

When preparing Badanekayi Ennegayi at home, my preferred pairing is with ukkarisida akki rotti, although it also goes well with rotis, chapatis or Malabar parotta. Jolada rotti is something I am yet to learn but I know that I'll get there some day. 

After fine-tuning the recipe through multiple iterations, I present my simplified rendition. I did away with aromatic spices as I found the recipe to be to my liking without them. Achieving the right balance of salty-sweet-sour-spicy is crucial for nailing the flavor profile. If you stay true to this recipe, I assure you will have a winner on your hands. Give it a try, folks! 😊

Badanekayi Ennegayi

Preparation time: 20 min

Cooking + resting time: 30 min

Serves: 4-5

Recipe category: Side dish (semi-dry)/South-Indian

Recipe level: Easy

Recipe source: My own version

Ingredients:

10-12 baby eggplants

4 tbsp peanuts

2 tsp white sesame seeds

4-5 dry red chillies (byadgi chillies or Kashmiri chillies), refer notes

2 big red onions

6 large cloves garlic

1-inch piece ginger

1/2 cup fresh coconut

1/4 tsp tamarind paste

1 tsp jaggery powder

Salt to taste

8-10 curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

Water, as required

4 tbsp + 2 tsp oil, divided

Method:

1. In a wide pan, dry roast 4 tbsp peanuts. When light brown spots just start to appear, add 2 tsp white sesame seeds, 4-5 dry red chilies and roast until the sesame seeds turn light brown. Transfer the contents to a blender jar.

2. In the same pan as before, add 2 tsp oil and sauté 1 large roughly chopped onion, 6 cloves of garlic and 1-inch piece ginger until onions turn pink. Add in half cup of grated or chopped fresh coconut and fry for few more mins. Add this also to the blender jar when sufficiently cool. 

3. Add in 1/4 tsp tamarind concentrate, 1 tsp brown sugar and 1/2 tsp salt to the rest of the ingredients in the blender jar. Add 3/4 cup water and blend everything to a smooth fine paste. 

4. You can either use small round purple or green eggplants. I have used both types with similar results. Make sure the eggplants are fresh for the best outcome. Also make sure the eggplants are of similar size so they cook evenly. Wash the eggplants thoroughly.

5. Make a + shaped slit at the base of 10-12 eggplants (keep stem intact) and fill them generously with the masala paste. 

6. In a wide skillet, heat 4 tbsp oil. Add 8-10 curry leaves, 1 tsp mustard seeds and let sizzle. Now add 1 large finely chopped onion and fry till translucent. 

7. Add the stuffed eggplants to the pan and cook uncovered for about 5 min flipping the eggplants once in between.

8. Now add all the remaining masala, ~1 cup water (use it to rinse out the blender jar) and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp more salt (add as required). Cook covered till oil separates. Turn the eggplants once or twice in between. You can add more water if you want a thinner consistency for the gravy.

9. When eggplants are fork tender, switch off the flame. Let sit for at least 10 mins undisturbed for the color and flavor to intensify. 

10. Serve warm with ukkarisida akki rotti, jolada rotti or chapatis. 

Notes:

• As I mentioned earlier, use eggplants that are fresh from the market. Also pick eggplants that are of similar size so the cooking time is uniform for all
• I have made this recipe even using the long purple eggplants when the small variety wasn't available
• If you do not have fresh coconut, you can use dessicated coconut in this recipe as well
• If you are using Kashmiri red chillies or moderately spicy byadgi chillies then 4-5 will do but if you have only byadgi chillies they are very spicy then you may stick to just 2-3 (you can always add red chilli powder to the curry later if required). I have a trick where I don't add all the chillies to the blender all at once. I leave 1-2 out , taste the paste and add more only if required
• If you don't have jaggery powder then you can use brown sugar instead
• Leftovers kept in the fridge taste even better the next day

Cheers,

Megha